Every schoolboy cricketer worth his salt makes sure he learns the names of all the fielding positions with a torch under the covers after lights out.

But just like the alphabet, knowing the letters is only the start. If you want to be able to write you have to know how to use the letters to make words and sentences and paragraphs.

In the same way, if you want to know field settings you have to know when to use positions. Field settings are the

This is a guest article by Laurie Ward from The Complete Cricketer Academy in Cape Town, South Africa.

Different conditions and match situations require different lengths of bowling.

To be a good bowler you need to know when to make a change to your length, and how to make it.

You have probably never heard of Terryn Fray.

But those who have call him a rare talent with a sparkling future before him. At 18 he captained Bermuda Under-19's and has made his debut for the full Bermuda team in both one day and first-class cricket.

This is part two of a two part series by Laurie Ward from The Complete Cricketer Academy in Cape Town, South Africa. To go to part one click here.

This is the first part of a two part series by Laurie Ward from The Complete Cricketer Academy in Cape Town, South Africa.

The start of a match dictates how it will develop. Getting a flyer or taking early wickets puts pressure on the opposition. As a team you should look to dominate from ball one.

I recently played in an afternoon declaration club cricket game where the scores were:

• Team A: 237-5 (50 overs)
• Team B: 170-6 (50 overs)

I'm sure you have played in games with similar scores, and were similarly fed up by the end of the match.

You might say that Team B's bowlers were just not good enough to roll a half decent batting side over.

Last week Gary Palmer gave us an article on how great batsman play. This week he looks at the common mistakes seen in lesser players.

The correct technique means that batting is made easier and the process of development is speeded up. In other words; you will maximize your potential and enjoy improved performances.

Batting coach Gary Palmer passes on his observations about how the great batsmen play, and how you can copy them.

All of these men are greats of the game. I've seen them bat over the years, often standing at the non-strikers end, and I have noticed several common technical points with them and other exceptional batsmen.

This is a guest article from an anonymous coach with many years experience at club level.

Every week during the cricket season an army of volunteers go out to do duty in running junior club cricket.

Without them clubs could not function. However, not all of these helpers are helping.

If you need proof that cricket is changing, look no further than English fast bowler's Stuart Broad and Steven Finn.

The pacemen were the first to openly miss competitive cricket to improve their strength and conditioning, showing how important fitness has become, especially to young fast bowlers.

If you have lofty fast bowling ambitions, should you follow their lead?